Class of 2014 Success Stories: Essence of Balance

In the study of architecture, balance is an important design
concept. For BGSU architecture students Malak Orra and Andrew Saleh,
balance has been integral to their achievements to date. At Friday’s
commencement, the married couple crossed the platform, accepted their
bachelor’s degrees and prepared for the next journey together as
graduate students.

Their story started nine years ago when Orra, who was born in Toledo
to Lebanese parents, was visiting a friend in Lebanon. The friend was
Saleh’s cousin. The relationship blossomed quickly. And when they
decided a year later to marry, they didn’t let war-torn Lebanon keep
them apart. Instead, they met and married in Brazil, where Saleh was
born and Orra had family.

The newlyweds moved to Toledo to begin their lives together. Their
Lebanese roots were the foundation, and a shared passion for
architecture cemented the bond.

They opted to start their education at Owens Community College to
stretch their limited family dollars a little farther. When they were
accepted into the BGSU architecture program together in 2007, the
transition was seamless.

For Orra, architecture had been a part of her dream for as long as
she could remember. Building blocks and structures were part of her
childhood play.

Saleh recalled that he “always liked painting, and constantly had
dreams about houses. I had practically grown up with it.

“Initially, I thought architecture was just about building
skyscrapers, but I’ve come to realize that people need shelters, and
architecture is about solving problems. I knew I wanted to study
architecture with Malak.”

Since the birth of their daughters, Sabeen, in 2008, and Leen, in
2010, balance has become even more critical for Orra and Saleh. With
the support of one another and the help of their parents, they have
mastered the balance among the daily demands of school, family life
and work, plus internships with local architectural firms three days a week.

“Time management is key. We will pull an occasional all-nighter, but
we’ve learned not to procrastinate.” Orra said.

Regardless of what they are doing, architecture is never far from
their minds. “Wherever we go, and every shape we see, we can relate it
to architecture,” said Orra. “Whether we are driving down the street
or walking through the grocery store, we see things differently.”

“Architecture has changed our perspectives,” Saleh agreed.

“Everything from landscaping to prosthetics can influence
architecture,” Orra said, explaining the importance of function to architecture.

Just as their personalities are different, their design styles also
are contrasting. Orra, the more outgoing and animated, actually has a
simple, never overly dramatic design style.

“Designing simple is not necessarily easy,” she explained. “There’s
a lot of thought that goes into it, and deciding how to make it all
work together.”

“Architecture is universal. It is about
form and function and detail. It is proportion, asymmetrical,
invention, pleasant, quirky. It is art you can live in. It is
amazing.”A simple pinwheel shape for a BGSU pavilion project
last year earned her special recognition in the department’s push for
accreditation. She frequently confers with the faculty but admits she
is strong-willed and believes “my idea is my idea, and I like to find
a way to make it work. They will give me opinions of what I might do
and we find common ground.”

Saleh, who is more reserved and soft-spoken in groups, has a more
complicated design style. He struggled at first, in part because
English is not his first language, but “the teachers were helpful and
encouraged me to speak up. ‘Architecture’ is not about language,’ they
told me,” Saleh said. “That helped me to become more relaxed.”

Their encouragement also helped him define his style. “I work off of
basics, but I tend to complicate things. They keep reminding me to
keep it simple.”

BGSU architecture instructor Scott MacPherson described Orra and
Saleh as a team that balances one another out. “I can feel that sense
of team — in their family spirit and their architectural spirit.

“I’ve worked with them since their sophomore year. The way they
approach design is very different, but they both have a strong work
ethic, in their academics and work.”

“It has been a big privilege to be part of this program,” Orra said.
“It is our home away from home, our second family. Our children have
been welcomed by the students, which allowed us to bring them in when
we needed to get work done.”

Additionally, they have gained a “good solid foundation” by learning
different software, model making, and drawing by hand, which isn’t
used that much any more, Orra said.

Now they are ready to take the valuable lessons learned here on to
their dual graduate assistantships at Iowa State University in Ames.
They will continue to instill the significance of architecture in
their daughters. Listening to an online video featuring their younger
daughter, her words prove they are already passing on the torch for architecture.

“Architecture is universal. It is about form and function and
detail. It is proportion, asymmetrical, invention, pleasant, quirky.
It is art you can live in. It is amazing.”

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